Operating device for switches.



R. BELL & R. MAGUIRE.

OPERATING DEVICE FOR SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1914. 1, 125,256. Patented Jan.19, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W mentrs THE NORRIS PETERS co, PHOm-LITHCL, WASHINGI'HN n r R. B ELL & R. MAGUIRE.

OPERATING DEVICE FOR SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1914. 1,125,256. Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE NORRIS PETERS Lu rHOTO LITHO \VASHINGTON. D, cv

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEic ROBERT BELL, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, AND ROBERT MAGUIR-E, OF GLASGOW, SCOT- LAND, ASSIGNOBS OF ONE-HALF TO J. WALTER THOMPSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

OPERATING DEVICE FOR SWITCHES.

Application filed June 20, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, ROBERT BELL and ROBERT JMAGUIRE, subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at Mayfair, London, England, and Townhead, Glasgow, Scotland, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Operating Devices for Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for use in controlling railway track points, signals or the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved construction of apparatus for operating points, signals or the like whereby the action of the controlling lever is transmitted to an oscillatory lever to which the points or the like are connected through the intermediary of a pin and slot arrangement, whereby the controlling lever is free to return to its normal position after the operation of the mechanism, said oscillatory lever being operated against the action of a spring.

The invention is illustrated in the ac companying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred and simplevembodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the invention shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modification. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the modification seen in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a further modified form of the invention. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the modification illustrated in Fig. 5.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 7 is a controlling lever pivotally supported at 8 by a bracket 9 which may be located alongside the track. The body of said lever is formed with slots 10 and 11 concentric with the axis of the pivot 8 and entered by pins 12 and 13 formed on a disk 14 through which the pivot 8 passes, said disk 14 being formed with a tongue 15. The lever 7 normally occupies the position shown in Fig. 2, being held in such position by the counterweight 16. The tongue 15 engages a perforation 17 formed in one arm 18 of a bell-crank lever pivotally supported at 19 on the base 20 of the bracket 9. It will be seen that movement of the lever 7 around its pivot 8 and transmitted through the pin and slot arrangement to the disk 14 having the tongue 15 will effect an oscillatory movement of the bell crank lever 18 around its pivot 19.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

Serial No. 846,373.

A connection or connections 21 is or are led from the extremity of the arm 22 of the bell crank lever to the part to be operated. Carried by the arm 22 of the bell crank lever is a stud 23 carrying a roller or engaging means 2-l in peripheral contact with a blade spring 25 the ends of which are secured at 26 and 27 to the base 20 of the bracket 9. The spring 25 is in the form of a flattened V the vertex of which is indicated at 28. As is evident from Fig. 1, the spring 25 in conjunction with the roller 2% offers a resistance to the movement of the bell-crank lever from one extreme position until the roller passes the point 28, whereafter such resistance is removed and the further movement of the bell-crank lever to its other extreme position takes place under the action of the spring. The extent of movement of the bell-crank lever may be defined by means of stops 293G.

The dimensions of the slots 10 and 11 are such that the lever 7 having been moved to the extent necessary to oscillate the bellcrank lever to the position wherein the roller 2% is opposite the point 28, and the movement of the bell crank lever having been completed under the action of the spring 25, the pins 12 and 13 travel along the slots 10 and 11 without the necessity for further movement of the lever 7 which occupies a position in which it is prevented from injury for instance when a trailing shunt is to be effected.

It will be understood that in the adaptation of the arrangement to a signaling system the controlling lever might be manipulated by the signalman to ascertain whether the connections associated therewith are in operative condition, since, in the event of his being able to move the controlling lever from one extreme position to the other without meeting with resistance, the Signalman will be informed that the mechanism is inoperative. V

The constructions shown in Figs. 3 to 6 are more particularly applicable to apparatus in which the controlling lever is situated at a point remote from the track point or other apparatus to be actuated.

Referring to Figs. 3 and e, the disk 14 connected as hereinbefore described with the controlling lever is formed with diametrically opposed tongues 30 each of which engages an oscillating member 31 pivotally I supported at 32 on a bracket 33" formedin the base 20. Operatively connected to each member 31 is a rod or wire-34 through which oscillating movement of said member 31 is transmitted to the lever 18 corresponding in function to the bell-crank lever aforesaid, the rods 34 being connected to said. lever 18 at points 35, 36 on opposite sides of the pivot 19. The operation of this construction is substantially the same as that of the construction shown in Figs. 1 an'd'2.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the construction is modified to permit the advantageous use of flexible connections, 6. 9., wire rope; in this modified construction for the tongues 30 there are substituted hooks 37, 38 attached to the extremities of wire ropes 39, 40 which aiford connections'to the lever 18*, saidwire ropes 39, 40 being suitably guided as by means of pulleys 41', 42', 43, 44, the pulleys 43, 44 affording also means whereby contraction and expansion of the ropes 39, 40'may be compensated for. To this end the pulleys 43', 44 are mounted in forked members, 45, 46 the shanks 74, 48 of which pass through perforated lugs 49', 50 formed in the bracket 9' and are in screw-threaded engagement with wing or other nuts 51-, 52 disposed" on the upper side of said lugs 49,- 50. It will be readily seen that rotation of the nuts 51, 52 will result in vertical displacement of the pulleys 43, 44 relatively to the books 37, 38 and that expansion and contraction of the ropes may thus be counteracted.

Having thus described our invention what we claim is? 1. A device of the character described comprising, a base, acontroll-ing lever pivoted to said base, said controlling lever having concentric slots, a rockable disk pivoted concentrically with said controlling lever and formed with pins adapted to engage said slots, tongues formed on said rockable disk, means connecting said controlling lever with said tongues, an oscillatory lever having a roller secured thereto,v a spring adapted to cooperate with said roller and means for limiting the movement of said oscillatory lever.

2-. A device of the character described comprising, a base, a controlling lever pivoted to said base, said controlling lever being provided with concentric slots, means pivoted concentrically with said controlling lever and formed with pins adapted toengage said slots, means connecting said controlling lever with said first mentioned means, an oscillatory lever, engaging means on said oscillatory lever, a spring adapted to cooperate with said engaging means, said concentric slots and cooperating pins permitting of said controlling lever returning to its normal position after theoperation of the mechanism.

3; A device of the character described comprising, a base, a controlling lever pivoted" to said base, said controlling lever hav-- ing concentric slots, a rockable disk pivoted concentrically with said controlling lever and formed with pins adapted to engage said slots, a projection formed on said rockable disk', means connecting said controlling lever with said projection, an oscillatory lever having engaging means secured thereto, a spring adapted to cooperate with said engaging means and means for limiting the movement of said oscillatory lever.

4. A device of the character described comprising, a base, a controlling lever pivoted to said" base, said controlling lever having concentric slots, a rockable disk pivoted concentrically with said controlling lever and formed with pins adapted to engage said slots, aprojection formed on said rockable disk, means connecting' said controlling lever with said projection, an oscillatory lever having engaging means secured thereto, a substantially V-shaped spring adapted to cooperate with said engaging means whereby said spring becomes strained by said engaging means on the initial movement of the controlling lever and becomes unstrained on the accomplishment of said initial movement'.

In testimony whereof-we have aliixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT BELL. ROBERT MAGUIRE. Witnesses to the signature of Robert Bell:

WILLIAM FRANK SAWSEY, ERNEsr HENRY RoBERTs.

Witnesses to the signature of Robert Mag-uire:

ALEXANDER WA'rsoN, DANIEL GEORGE SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fi've cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G, 

